Road Trip day 7/8 [2/5/10-2/6/10]: San Antonio!

[cptntiller]

I awoke in Austin, fresh-eyed and all that stuff. Powered on the computer and got a note from my next hosts telling me I could come over whenever. So I did! I hopped in the car and pointed towards San Antonio. Can we talk about how wonderful it is to only have to drive an hour and a half? After many days of intense hourage, it was amazing. It also ended up being my first sunny day since Chicago, and for me, it was quite warm. [Matt and Alex feel differently]



Before I knew it, I had arrived at the door of my gracious hosts chibi_masshuu and darke. I was especially excited about this stop, as I've become very good friends with Matt [chibi_masshuu] over the past months, and we talk most days. He and Alex are both excellent people.

Anywhozle, so I blooped the doorbell, and then waited nervously on the porch, 'til the door opened. and it was all uphill from there [for me]. We sat in the living room for a bit and talked, and I had a grand old time. From there, Matt and I made our way out for a bit of adventuring. We began with lunch at a Mexican restaurant nearby, which was thoroughly delicious, and from there we worked our way towards the Alamo.



Oh, the Alamo. We've all heard stories about this fort, right? Well. I'm a bit of a geek, and so when asked what I wanted to do in San Antonio, I had obviously suggested seeing this. Wow. What a large error in judgement. Do you see this picture of the Alamo? Congratulations. I've just saved you 30 minutes of time in San Antonio. Regardless, we had a good time making fun of how ridiculous the Alamo was, and then we wandered over to the Riverwalk, which was very pretty, and littered with live cajun style jazz. We enjoyed a nice walk-a-bout and chit chatted before heading back towards the car. Matt is very camera-aware, so I didn't take too many photos. [I was trying to be subtle and shoot from the side.. as you can tell, he was very aware of the camera.]





Truth be told I didn't take many photos because I was just enjoying the company and the time, and I chose to focus on that. We hopped in the car and talked back and forth about this, that and the other. He showed me where he worked and we just kinda talked. It was nice.

Soon enough we arrived at the chibi/darke residence and settled into the couch to correct the fact that I had never seen Enchanted, even though I know Amy Adams. We had a grand time. Luckily Matt had already seen it so my talking about it throughout didn't [seem to] bother him. When the movie was finished we went out and got Thai. I had never had Thai food before [holy crap pad thai is awesome kids.] and it was a good chance to converse whilst enjoying new noms and crossing something off my 101. Also, I got to know Alex better, which was fun. We bonded over a similar liking of the musical the-ate-er among other things.

Home again afterwards to change into trunks and enjoy their heated pool. I hadn't been swimming since the summer, and it felt damn good to be in water again. Not to mention it led to relaxing and conversating. It was a nice nightcap to the day, and we all retired to bed shortly after.

Sleep was wonderful - their guest bed was superbly comfortable and it was nice to be in a real bed for the first time in several days.

And when I woke up, I learned that everything is bigger in Texas. For shiz. We went to a local breakfast joint called Lulu's which had chicken fried steak.

Ok.

so.

First of all, I had never heard of Chicken Fried Steak and zomg is it delicious.

Second of all. This is how big Matt's Chicken Fried Steak was. FOR REAL LIFE, PEOPLE.




Matt and Alex, both!


Alex had talked Matt into getting the super ginormous sized one to show off Texas' sized things. They shared it, so it all worked out fine fine. Hell, I couldn't finish mine and it was like a quarter the size. Did I mention they had cinnamon rolls at this place the size of my very literal torso. MY ACTUAL TORSO, PEOPLE.

I was sad when food was over, because it meant time was coming to a close. We made a few stops on the way home, and then procrastinated by watching various and sundry youtube clips on their TV for a bit. Sadly, eventually I had to get on the road [I had a 10 hour drive ahead of me] and I had to say goodbye and hit the road.

Not nearly enough time in San Antonio. The one downside of meeting people you're friends with from the interwebs in real life is when you leave you're like "damnitt. We would totally be awesome in life friends, and now I don't get to see them 'til god knows when." As a result I drove away with a bit of sadness, but also excitement as my next stop was one I was greatly looking forward to: N'awlins!

Matt's account of this adventure be here, y'all: click click

Holy crap dudes. I don't post for eons, and then you get this loquacious post. Almost done with wedding photos, and working through a backlog the size of georgia - all the while shooting 2 rolls of film a week!

Comments

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

pretty swooneriffic!

[risingtofall.livejournal.com]

but was there a basement in the Alamo?

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

You clearly have no knowledge of my utter, complete and wholehearted hatred for peewee herman.

[risingtofall.livejournal.com]

I knew not of that blasphemy, but even if I did I still probably would have asked ;-)

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

Among other things, he is the sole reason I fear clowns.

I wouldn't ride my bike for like 3 months after that movie came out.

[eric-mathgeek.livejournal.com]

I could have warned you about the Alamo. Last time we went it took 30 minutes just to FIND the thing.

My last trip, I visited my cousin who is a San Antonio historian. She gave me an interesting tour! (I looked, I did have entries on it, back in 2004. But nothing in my entries worth pointing you to.)

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

Ah well. Live and Learn!

My dad was all stoked. He was like "Make sure you see the Alamo! Make sure you see the Alamo!!!!!"

Next day phone conversation "Did you see the Alamo!?"

"...yes."

"Isn't it Awesome?"

"...honestly? No."

"oh.

...

...your mother hated it too."

[from the background]: "what a waste of life!"



--

Yup. I can imagine with someone dedicated to it it would be much more interesting!

[eric-mathgeek.livejournal.com]

LOL!

It was OK, just... not much, really.

[bear-left.livejournal.com]

My God, that conversation cracked me up.

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

I do love my parents most days.

[dendren.livejournal.com]

did you find Pee Wee's bike in the basement?

yay for Matt and his big juicy meat. and love the pic of Matt about to cut his honey for even thinking of touching his meat!

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

I have a vaguely strong loathing for PeeWee Herman. Mostly because he terrifies me strongly.

Matt is friggin' awesome.

Hahaha. I think that look was "why the hell are you making me eat this"

It was a lot of fun.

[dendren.livejournal.com]

I don't know... it definitely looks more like the look my dog gets when I try to take her bowl from her when she's eating...

hehehehe

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

bwahahaha

[fingertrouble.livejournal.com]

oh I so want one of those chicken things NOW!

It looks like a chicken escalope of humungous proportions with cheese on - italians do something similar, did they add spices?

I'm guessing it's mouthwateringly good!

Tim (who is anyone's for fried anything)

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

IT WAS AMAZING.

The south has food DOWN.

I am so jealous of them.

[fingertrouble.livejournal.com]

oh and remind me about the Alamo again? I forgot...

*boom tish*

Never been to that part of the world BUT Alamo always makes me think of car hire. Not forts.

Anyway didn't they destroy most of it? Nothing to see here...like going to Cadiz.

'Where's the history?'

'The British nuked it all in the 16th century'

'Oh'

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

hey. the alamo played a critical role in the texas revolution.

Mostly it's just famous because of davy crocket and the line in the sand.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Let the talk and pictures flow!

HUGS!

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

I'm doing my best!
hugs

[bradferd23.livejournal.com]

They are both good peoples. Alex is fun and wicked smart!

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

Agreed!

I just know Matt better is the reason he came up more.

I didn't even know Alex was on LJ 'til like a week before I got to there abode.

[bear-left.livejournal.com]

When getting ice cream, I always remember the a la mode.

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

Oof.

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

ME TOO. It was fun.


I was sad that you were camera shy, I would've tried to take more from the front.

I remember you not wanting to eat it.

You look so sad about it being in front of you.

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

oh wow...Texas-sized is right! Are prices similarly inflated for such huge portions? If not, then what a deal! You'd get 2 meals for the price of 1 every time. Cool road trip! Are you on your own for the driving around part? That's where I would get stuck. If I drive for a long while, I get sleepy.

[toddpage.livejournal.com]

Nope! Prices are totally reasonable. It's awesome!

I was on my own for the driving [this trip happened in february]

I definetly got sleepy / lonely some days - next time I need a buddy.